Interlocking frame for railway points and signals and the like



P 1932- c. H. w. EDMONDS 1,880,035

INTERLOGKING FRAME FOR RAILWAY POINTS AND SIGNALS AND THE LIKE Original Filed Oct. 28, 1924 '2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORI Mg ATTORNEY Sept. 27, 1932 c. H. w. EDMONDS INTERLOCKING FRAME FOR RAILWAY POINTS AND SIGNALS AND THE LIKE Original File d Oct. 28, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet INVENTOR'. d H. 4 dmond/a,

Patented Sept. 27, 1932 COUBTENAY HAROLD WISH EDMONDS, OF LONDON, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE UNION SWITCH 8c SIGNAL COMPANY, OF SWISSVALE, PENN SYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA INTER-LOOKING FRAME RAILWAY POINTS AND SIGNALS AND THE LIKE Application filed October 28, 1924., Serial No. 746,349, and in Great Britain February 5, 1924. Renewed June 19, 1930.

of the kind above indicated comprise a number of handles or levers for effecting the operatlon of the various polnts or signals or both, the several handles or levers being provided with mechanical interlocking mechanism adapted to prevent the simultaneous operation of such handles or levers as would cause conflicting settings of the points or signals controlled thereby.

According to the present invention the mechanical interlocking mechanism above referred to is entirely dispensed with and replaced by electrically actuated locks for the handles or levers, the energizing circuit of each of these locks being arranged to be com-' pleted only when all the other handles 01' levers occupy such positions that conflicting settings of the signals or points cannot be effected.

In addition to the mechanical interlocking hitherto provided between the several handles or levers it has been customary in,

certain cases to impose a further control upon the movement of the handles or levers by means of electric locks adapted to be actuated to release the handles or levers only whenpredetermined detection, selection, or

track circuit conditions obtain, and in such cases, according to my present invention, the electric locks replacing the mechanical interlocking may be utilized for this further control by suitably arranging the energizing circuits of these looks as will be readily understood.

My invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 of which is a view in sectional side elevation of an interlocking frame showing a single control element arranged to be electrically 1nterlocked with other control elements in accordance with my invention.

Figs. 2 and 3 being views in front elevathat the control element illustrated which may be adapted to control the operation of an electrically actuated signal or set of points 1 comprises a horizontal shaft. 1, mounted in suitable bearings 2 in the locking frame 3 and provided at one end with a handle 4 by means of which the shaft 1 can be rotated through a predetermined'arc. The opposite end of the shaft 1 is connected through suitable bevel gearing 5 with a vertical shaft 6 carry ing contact segments 7 adapted to be electrically engaged by stationary contact fingers 8 included in the circuits through which operating current is supplied to the points or signal operating mechanism in the usual manner. The horizontal shaft 1 is provided with two locking segments 9 of the well.

known type each adapted to be engaged by the latch 10 of a lock magnet 11 mounted in the interlocking frame 1, the locking segment 9 being of the usual form shown in Fig. 2 so as to permit a preliminary rotation to the shaft 1 before the latch 10 engages with a locking projection 12 on the segment 9 and the latch 10 in this position being arranged to be moved to its locking position by means of a projection 13 should it fail to return thereto when the lock magnet 11 is de-energized. The horizontal shaft 1 is further provided with a cam segment 14 adapted to actuate a spring controlled plunger 15 and thereby effect the engagement of a pair of spring contacts 16 included in the circuit of the lock magnets 11 so that the contacts 16 are closed by the initial movement of the shaft 1 and thus complete the energizing circuit of the lock magnet 11, provided that this circuit is otherwise completed by the shafts controlling other confiictingpoints or signals being in corresponding positions.

may be arranged to lock the shafts in their It will be understood that the circuit for each lock magnet 11 includes contact fingers and contact segments similar to those inclicated at 8, 7 respectively, on all the shafts to be interlocked with the shaft 1, this circuit also including the contacts 16 operated by the cam segment 1A for the shaft 1 and if desired other contacts closed under predetermined detection, selection, or track circuit conditions. The circuit for the lock magnet 11 of any one shaft is thus led through a series of contacts corresponding to all the conditions or settings of other devices which must obtain before the shaft can be operated, thereby ensuring a definite condition of all the elements of the system involved before the lock magnet can be released to permit the movement of the shaft and the setting of the corresponding points or signal.

It will be understood that the lock magnets 3 lever 1 occupies its normal position, which is the position in which it is shown in the .drawing, switch S is in its normal position, wherein trafic moves from track T to track T and vice versa; when lever 1 is swung ,to the right into its reverse position, switch S is reversed, so that traffic moves from track T into track T and vice versa.

Trafic moving through the switch S from track T to track T is governed by a signal A, while traffic moving through the switch from track T into track T is governed by a signal O. Signal A is controlled by a lever 1 and signal O is controlled by a lever 1 each of which levers may be one of the horizontal shafts 1 of the interlocking frame shown in Fig. 1. When lever 1 is in its normal position, wherein itis shown in the drawings, signal A indicates stop, whereas when lever'l is swung to the right to its reverse position, signal A is moved to its proceed position. The control of signal O by lever 1 is the same as the control of signal A by lever 1 The tracks T, T and T are isolated from the adjoining portions of track by insulated joints 19 and are provided with the usual track circuit comprising a track battery 17 and a track relay 18.

ever 1 is provided with two circuit controllers D and D each of which comprises a contact segment 7 on the vertical shaft 6 shown in Fig. 1, and a pair of stationary contact fingers 8 co-operating with this segment. Levers 1 and 1 are provided with similar circuit controllers D and D All of the circuit controllers D and D with pairs of spring contact 16 on lever 1 and lock magnet 11 of lever 1 to terminal O of the same source of current. It will be seen, therefore, that this magnet 11 of lever 1 cannot be energized to release this lever unless both levers 1 and 1 are in their normal positions. The other lock magnet 11 of lever 1 is provided with a circuit which passes from terminal B, through front contact 20 of track relay 18, another pair of spring contacts 16 on lever 1 and the lock magnet 11 to terminal O. It will be seen that this second lock magnet 11 cannot be energized to "release lever 1 unless track relay 18 is energized, that is, unless the track adjacent switch S is unoccupied- One of the lock magnets 11 of lever 1 is provided with a circuit which passes from terminal B, through circuit controller D on lever 1 circuit controller D on lever 1", spring con tacts 16 of lever 1 and lock magnet 11 of lever 1 to terminal O. It will be seen that this circuit cannot be closed to release lever 1 unless both levers 1 and 1 are in their normal positions. One of the lock magnets 11 of lever 1 is provided with a circuit which passes from terminal B, through circuit controller l) of lever 1*, spring contacts 16 of lever 1, lock magnet11 of lever 1 and circuit controller D of lever 1 to terminal 0. It will be seen that this circuit cannot be closed to release lever 1 unless lever 1 is in its normal position and lever 1 is in its reverse position.

It will be obvious from the foregoing, that the operator cannot move signal A to its proceed position unless lever 1 is in its normal position so that signal O is in the stop position and lever 1 is in its normal position so that switch S is in the normal position. Furthermore, the operator cannot move signal O to the proceed position unless lever 1 is in the normal position so that signal A indicates stop, and lever 1 is in the. reverse position so that switch S is reversed. Also, the operator cannot move lever 1 from its normal to its reverse position or from its reverse to its normal position unless both levers 1 and 1 are in normal positions, so that both signals A and C indicate stop, and the track adjacent switch S is unoccupied so that relay 18 is energized.

The circuits by which the levers 1 1 and 1 control the devices A, C and S, are omitted from Fig. 4: to simplify the drawings, but are indicated by the dotted line connecting each lever with its associated device.

The electric locking mechanism may be provided with indicators for the purpose of indicating whether the shaft be locked or free and the construction and arrangement of the interlocking frame may be varied in other respects without exceeding the scope of my invention.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is:

1. Railway interlocking apparatus comprising an interlocking frame containing a plurality of levers, and electric locks for said levers the energizing circuit for each lock being controlled by others of said levers and completed only when such other levers occupy such positions that the lever with which the lock is associated can safely be moved, said locks and circuits constituting the only interlocking between said levers.

2. In combination, manually started signal operating mechanism, manually started switch operating mechanism, primary electric interlocking means for said mechanisms, and secondary electric interlocking means, said primary and secondary interlocking means having connection for interdependent operation.

8. In combination, manually controllable signal operating mechanism, manually controllable switch operating mechanism, said mechanisms having a plurality of operated positions, and mutually mechanically inclependent electric interlocking means interlocking said mechanisms in a predetermined manner for all of said plurality of operated positions.

l. In combination, manually controllable signal operating mechanism, manually controllable switch operating mechanism, said mechanisms having a plurality of different operated positions, and mutually mechanically independent electric interlocking means connected with said mechanisms for interlocking said mechanisms in a predetermined manner for all positions of said mechanisms, said interlocking means having portions controlled by said switch and signal mechanisms.

5. In combination, manually controllable signal operating mechanism, manually controllable switch operating mechanism, primary electric interlocking means for said mechanisms, secondary mutually mechanically independent interlocking means for said ing means for said switch operating mechanism, said primary interlockin means controlling said mechanisms under predetermined conditions, said secondary interlocking means controlling said mechanisms under additional predetermined conditions with respect to the primary means, both of said means being interdependent for operation in controlling said mechanisms.

8. In combination, manually controllable signal operating mechanism, manually controllable switch operating mechanism, a track circuit, electromagnetic locking means for said mechanisms, electric controlling means for said locking means, and controlling means for said locking means operated'by the track circuit and cooperating with the electric controlling means for interlocking said mechanisms in a predetermined manner.

9. In combination, a stretch of railway track comprisin a plurality of partly interinclusive routes, a plurality of traffic governing devices for each of said routes, a plurality of separately electrically controlled non-mechanically interlocked manually controllable instruments one for each of said routes, and means controlled by each of said instruments for controlling all the governing devices of its route.

10. In combination, a stretch of railway, track comprising a plurality of partly interinclusive routes, a plurality of traffic governing devices for each of said routes, a control device for each of said routes separately electrically controlled, a plurality of mutually mechanically independent manually controllable instruments one for each of said control devices, means controlled by said instruments for electrically interlocking said control devices, and means controlled by each of said control devices for controlling all the traflic governing devices of its route.

11. In combination, a stretch of railway track comprising a plurality of partly interinclusive routes, a plurality of traffic governing devices for each of said routes, a plurality of separately electrically controlled manually controllable instruments interlocked non-mechanically one for each of said routes, and means controlled by each of said instruments for controlling all the governing devices of its route.

12. In combination, a railway trafiic governing device, a second railway trafic governing device, a manually controlled instrument inter-controlled non-mechanically with a traific controlled instrument, and means controlled by said instruments for controlling said governing devices.

13. In combination, a stretch of railway track comprising a plurality of partly interinclusive routes, a plurality of tralfic governing devices for each of said routes, a plurality of separately electrically operable instruments inter-controlled non-mechanically one for each of said routes, and means controlled by each of said instruments for controlling the governing devices of its route.

14. In combination, a railway track switch, a stretch of railway track comprising a route in which said switch is included in its normal position andfa second route in which said switch is included in its reverse position, a signal for said first route, signal for said second route, a device for controlling said switch and said first signal, and a second device inter-controlled non-mechanically with said first device by separate electric circuits for controlling said switch and said second signal.

15. In combination, a stretch of railway track comprising a first route and a second route, a plurality of trafiic governing devices for each of said routes, an instrument, a second instrument inter-controlled non-mechanically with said first instrument by separate electric circuits, means controlled by saidfirst instrument for controlling the trafiic governing devices for said first route, and means controlled by said second instrument for controlling the tralfic governing devices for said second route.

16. In combination, a railway track switch, a stretch of railway track comprising a route in which said switch is included in its normal position and a second route in which said switch is included in its reverse position, a traffic governing device for said first route, a second trafiic governing device for said second rout-e, an instrument, a second instrument inter-controlled non-mechanically with said first instrument by separate electric circuits, means controlled by said first instrument for operating said first governing device, and means controlled by said second instrument for operating said second governing device.

17. In combination, a stretch of railway track including a switch and provided with a track circuit, a signal governing trafiic movements over said switch, a manually movable device,a secondmanually movable device, electrically operable means controlled by said first device for controlling said second device, electrically operable means controlled by said second device and by said track circuit for controlling said first device, means controlled by said first device for controlling said switch, and means controlled by said second device for controlling said signal.

18. In combination, a stretch of railway track including a switch and provided with a track circuit, a signal governing traific movements over said switch, a manually movable device, a second manually movable device, electrically operable means controlled by said first device for controlling said second device, electrically operable means controlled by said second device and by said track circuit for controlling said first device, means controlled by one of said devices for controlling said switch, and means controlled by the other of said devices for controlling said signal.

19. In combination, a stretch of railway track including a switch and provided with a track circuit, a signal governing traflic movements over said switch, a manually movable device, a second manually movable device inter-controlled non-mechanically with said first device and controlled by said track circuit, means controlled by one of said devices for controlling said switch, and means controlled by the other of said devices for controlling said signal.

20. In combination, a manually movable device, a second manually movable device, an electric lock for at times preventing operation of said first device, a second electric lock for at times preventing operation of said second device, a circuit including a contact of said first device for energizing said second lock, and a circuit including a contact of said second device for energizing said first lock.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature.

COURTENAY HAROLD WISH EDMONDS. 

